Esemes

Esemes is the Turkish term for text messages sent via the Short Message Service (SMS). The word esemes is derived from SMS and is widely used in Turkey and some neighboring regions to describe person-to-person messages sent over mobile networks.

SMS originated in the 1990s with GSM networks and was standardized by ETSI. A single SMS message can carry up to 160 characters when using the GSM 7-bit alphabet. Messages that include characters outside that set, such as Turkish letters, are often sent using Unicode (UCS-2), which reduces the per-message limit to about 70 characters. When a message exceeds the limit, it can be split into concatenated segments that appear as a single message on the recipient’s device, though each segment may incur a separate charge.

Esemes are used for person-to-person texting, service alerts, and one-time codes (OTP). Because SMS travels over cellular networks, messages can be delivered with no data connection, provided there is cellular coverage.

Advantages of esemes include broad compatibility with basic mobile phones and the ability to work without a smartphone or data plan. Limitations include the character limit, per-message cost, and security concerns: SMS is generally not end-to-end encrypted, and messages can be exposed if devices are compromised or networks are monitored. Privacy risks are a consideration for sensitive communications sent via esemes.

In contemporary use, esemes have declined for everyday communication in many markets due to data-based messaging apps, but they remain common for certain services such as account verification and alerts because they work on virtually any mobile phone and do not require a data connection.